Bakery fined almost £20,000 for food hygiene offences

A bakery business, based in Willersey with retail outlets in Chipping Campden and Oxfordshire, has been fined nearly £20,000 for failing to comply with food hygiene regulations.

Appearing at Stroud Magistrates Court on 17August, La Tradition Ltd – trading as La Tradition - pleaded guilty to charges that they had failed to keep the premises clean and in a good state of repair, did not address a serious infestation of rats and mice, and also breached an Emergency Prohibition Order.

In March this year Officers from Cotswold District Council undertook a food hygiene inspection of the business in Willersey. They noted the infestation of rats and mice along with very poor standards of cleaning and disrepair. As a result, an Emergency Prohibition Order was made by Stroud Magistrates Court to close the business. However, Council Officers later discovered the business had defied the court order and continued to operate despite an active rodent infestation.

Council representatives explained to the Magistrates Court that the company operated from an unmarked warehouse which was not suitable for food preparation, and had not registered the food business with the Council prior to opening. The Magistrates viewed these matters extremely seriously and believed that the only saving grace was the company’s early guilty plea. They levied a fine of £4,000 for lack of cleaning and disrepair, £4,000 (each) for two charges of failing to keep the premises pest free and a further £6,000 for breaching the court order. In addition to this £500 costs were awarded to the Council, and the firm also had to pay a £180 court cost and a £120 victim surcharge. In total fines and costs amounted to £18,800.

After the hearing Cllr Sue Coakley, Cabinet Member for Health, Environment and Communities at CDC, said:

“Officers have had no alternative but to prosecute this company. They must act when a food business deliberately breaks the law, and the gravity of the offence is reflected in the fine awarded by the Magistrates.”